Ambient temperature and UOA

[whizbyu]

If all variables (average speed, MPG, OCI, brand of oil, driving distance, ratio of highway and city miles, etc) were the same and the only variable is ambient temperature, would the results in the UOA differ?
For instance: would the UOA be different in the winter months in say, Canada when compared to summer in Nevada??

 

[dparm]

Generally speaking, yes. Cold starts put more wear and tear on things, everything else being equal. I suspect it's so small that it would take many UOAs to even reveal a minuscule difference.

 

[michaelluscher]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Generally speaking, yes. Cold starts put more wear and tear on things, everything else being equal. I suspect it's so small that it would take many UOAs to even reveal a minuscule difference.


Does this mean I can stop putting so much effort into 5w/0w oils, Syns, Silicone ADBV's, Or using specified viscosity's?
Can I Finally Go back to the days of $17 AZ specials on 10w-40 and a OCOD or E-Core filter? Might as well dump it every 2.5k as well. Want my car to last ya knoe!

#amidoinitrite?

 

[CATERHAM]

Yes cold starts are harder on an engine and shorten the oil life if the trips are not long enough to get the oil up to temperature.
If the trips are long in a Canadian winter then you've minimized the cold start-up issue and the low ambient temp's will prevent oil temp's from getting very high vs driving flat out at high noon with 115F air temp's in a Nevada summer when oil temp's could soar.

The point is, as much as you try to minimize the variables there still are variables and some vehicles are more sensitive to ambient temp's than others. For example, vehicles with oil/coolant heat exchangers are less affected by ambient temp's than those that aren't so equipped.

 

[whizbyu]

Once again I am overthinking this whole thing.